Artic Chill
by Kyrie Sanctus
Summary: [Pre-Slash[ObiAni[ONESHOT] What would have happened if Obi-Wan had found Anakin on Amidala's ship, rather than Padmé.


**Title** Artic Chill

**Rating** K/T for Slash-like material.

**Summary** Pre-SlashObi/Ani What would have happened if Obi-Wan had found Anakin on Amidala's ship, rather than Padmé. Also, in this instance, Anakin had not been introduced to Obi-Wan prior.

**Disclaimer** I don't, nor do I claim to, own the characters of the Star Wars franchise. If I did, this fanfic would be a reality and Padme would marry Jar Jar Binks instead. Ou, harsh. Original idea goes to Hananiah for inspiring me with her fanfic, Interlude.

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The cold of outer space was the yin to Tatooine's sunny day's yang. It was a complete contrast. The difference between night and day, black and white... Which was why it was such a huge jump for Anakin Skywalker. Already faced with the turmoil of being ripped from his mother, although willingly, it made him even more melancholy and depressed that he wouldn't be comfortable out here.

He felt almost completely alone. Of course, he wasn't the only person there. There was Qui-Gon, and Padmé, and Artoo, Queen Amidala, Captain Panaka, and everyone else on the ship he'd been introduced to. Except one. The one person who was extremely wary of him happened to be the one outside of Padmé and Qui-Gon he was interested in. The young Jedi with the small braid behind his ear.

When he'd first saw Anakin, he'd looked to Qui-Gon with a distrusting face. "Is that the one you were talking about over the comunit, Master?" He'd asked, gesturing towards the Tatooine boy. Qui-Gon had only nodded slightly and proceeded to follow Padmé to the Queen's quarters, somewhere little Ani felt he wasn't allowed. He was led away by Captain Panaka to a place where he could sleep before he could even think to ask who he was.

And now, he couldn't sleep. He stared up at the ceiling, thinking about all sorts of things: Tatooine, his mother, Threepio, podracing, Watto, Sebulba, Padmé and Qui-Gon. He also slipped into thought about how cool it would be to be a Jedi, using a lightsaber and fighting off bad guys. Offhandedly, he wondered if the young Jedi was very good with his lightsaber. Maybe one day, he thought to himself, Qui-Gon will let me duel against him.

He'd hardly noticed when the young Jedi had entered the room, walking swiftly over to the control panel to check it. The older one also hadn't noticed him, that was, until he heard a slight rattling in the corner, coming from the boy's absentminded shivers. Firstly, he cursed himself for not being able to sense him in the room, but then, wondered, more importantly, why the boy was in there in the first place. "Why are you in here?"

The question had caught Anakin off guard, making him jump from his seat. He scrambled to sit up, and looked up at the young Jedi, quickly made aware of his presence. "Captain Panaka said there wasn't enough room in the sleeping quarters for me, that I had to sleep here."

"Are you cold? I heard your teeth clattering." He watched the young boy nod and walked over, sliding his robe off of his shoulders and laying it over his shivering form. "There you are. You came from a very warm planet... ...?" His sentence trailed off, searching for a name which to call the youngling.

"Anakin."

"Anakin." Obi-Wan repeated. "A little too warm for my taste. And too sandy. I hardly stepped outdoors and my boots were filled," at this, Anakin giggled. He'd noticed, as the young Jedi had begun to talk to him, the kindness in his face. He was a lot like Qui-Gon, in a way, although extremely different. "I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi, by the way. Qui-Gon is my master."

The slave boy sat up further, tilting his head to the side. "Master? Are you his slave?"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "Oh no, not 'master' in that sense. You see, I'm his Padawan. He's training me to become a Jedi."

Sadly for Obi-Wan, this raised even more questions from the youngling. "What's a Padawan?"

"An apprentice.. A student of sorts, if you will. He teaches me about the Force. In return, I accompany him on his missions. One day, I'll be a Master just like him. Perhaps you will, too."

Anakin nodded, understanding a little. He was about to ask another question before the comunit on the panel made a bleeping noise. Obi-Wan rose immediately, walking over. After listening to the message, he picked up another unit and spoke into it, quietly. So quietly, in fact, that the buzzing of the ship prevented Anakin from hearing what he had to say. After he finished, he set down the receiver and walked back over to his previous seat, his gentle smile replaced with a look of worry.

"Is something wrong?" Asked Anakin, still young enough unafraid of the criticism nosiness would place on him.

Obi-Wan nodded slowly. "It seems the queen will soon have to face a difficult decision. She is a good queen, Amidala, although a bit young, but this would be a choice difficult for any queen. She may have to put her life in danger."

"But you're a Jedi, right? You can protect her, right?" The youngling was a little on-edge, obviously worried about her well-being. Of course, everyone was. Queen or not, whether they liked her or not, whether they'd met her or not, it was their mission to protect her at all costs.

The young Jedi smiled, gentling up his boyish features, softening his brow and lighting up his blue-green eyes. "Of course." The smile of relief Anakin displayed mirrored the one Obi-Wan wore.

"One day, I'll be a Jedi," Anakin mused. "The best one ever. And then, no one will ever try to hurt Queen Amidala, or Padmé, or Qui-Gon, or my mother or Artoo, or Threepio, or you too!" His words had gained ambition as his list furthered, and he beamed at the end of them.

They were received with another serene grin. "I'll be looking forward to that kind of protection." He watched the young boy for a moment, finding his distrust in the boy fading more and more with the conversation. As he looked him over--sandy blond hair, tanned skin, blue eyes, round face and all, summing up to be an adorable package of a child--he noticed something clutched in his hand. "What's that you've got there?"

"This?" Anakin held it up. It was carved, slightly, although it seemed unfinished. Regardless, the craftsmanship was beyond what Obi-Wan had suspected of any child. "I carved it out of Jappor Snippet. I'm almost done." He held it out so the young Jedi could inspect it further.

As the Padawan took it into his palm, he studied it over. "It's very nice. Nicer than some of the Queen's jewelry. You have a knack for carving things, do you?" He gave it back, and was greeted with another grin from Anakin.

"You really think so? Thanks!" He turned it over in his hands, studying it again, as if trying to assess his own work from someone else's point of view. "Obi-Wan?" He was answered with a hum, so he continued. "When I'm finished, do you want it?"

Although the Jedi had slightly turned away for a moment to stare out the cockpit into outer space, he looked back to the Tatooine boy and once again, adorned that gentle expression. "I'd love it. You're very generous, Anakin."

He reached out and ruffled the youngling's hair, standing. "For now, though, I think you should go to bed." Anakin nodded, and Obi-Wan pulled the robe up closer to his chin. "Goodnight, Anakin."

"G'night, Obi-Wan." He yawned and turned over, closing his eyes, hearing the Padawan retreat and the doors close themselves, before drifting off into a peaceful slumber.

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**A/N: **Questions? Comments? Breathmints? Stabs with a 'saber? Leave them in a review!


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